Heat-insulation-exhibiting container

ABSTRACT

A heat-insulation-exhibiting container of the present invention comprises: a laminated body including base materials, differing from each other in heat shrinkage ratio and bonded together at bonded portions spaced from one another; and a thin-walled container, the laminated body fixed to an outer wall surface of a trunk portion thereof at a fixing portion provided at one location such that the base material having a larger heat shrinkage ratio is placed on an inner side of the laminated body. In the heat-insulation-exhibiting container, the outer wall surface is adhered to the laminated body at temporary adhesion portions, using a heat-softenable adhesive, appropriately arranged between the fixing portion and end portions of the laminated body, so that the entire inner base material uniformly shrinks between the bonded portions, and the outer base material is formed into tunnel-like structures in an orderly manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the improvement of a heat-insulation-exhibiting container that is used as a hot food container and exhibits heat-insulating properties by transforming a laminated body, fixed to the outer wall surface of the trunk portion of a thin-walled container, into tunnel-like structures when hot food, such as coffee, tea, amazake, zenzai, sake, clam chowder, and soup, is poured into the container.

2. Description of Related Art

As such a heat-insulation-exhibiting container, those disclosed by the applicant of the present application in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. 7-40961 A and 2001-240152 A are known. As shown in FIG. 10, a heat-insulation-exhibiting container 100 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-40961 A includes a cylindrical, or cup-shaped, thin-walled container 30, and a laminated body A fixed to an outer wall surface 3 of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 30. The laminated body A includes base materials, differing from each other in heat shrinkage ratio and bonded together at a plurality of elongated bonded portions spaced from one another in a striped manner, such that the base material having a lower heat shrinkage ratio is a piece of mounting paper 6 and the base material having a higher heat shrinkage ratio is a heat-shrinkable film 4. The laminated body A is fixed to the outer wall surface 3 of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 30, at a fixing portion 80 provided at one point, and along the generatrix direction of the container, and is also stretched and adhered to the outer wall surface 3 along the circumferential direction of the thin-walled container 30, such that the heat-shrinkable film 4 having a higher heat shrinkage ratio is placed on the inner side of the laminated body A, so that the heat-shrinkable film 4 shrinks between the spaced bonded portions.

When a hot beverage is poured into the container, the heat-shrinkable film 4 placed on the inner side of the laminated body A shrinks between bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 of the heat-shrinkable film 4 by the heat conducted through the wall surface of the container. Consequently, the piece of mounting paper 6 placed on the outer side of the laminated body transforms into tunnel-like structures, and provides a heat-insulating function. The heat-insulation-exhibiting container 100 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-40961 A is a heat-insulated container that is to be held at the mountain-fold portions of the tunnel-like structures. As disclosed in [0013] of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-40961 A, however, the structure of the heat-insulation-exhibiting container 100 is such that the laminated body A is fixed to the outer wall of the container while maintaining close contact with the outer wall surface 3 with: only the fixing portion 80 provided at one point in the laminated body A and a hot wind appropriately applied to the fixing portion 80; or, in addition, portions provided also near both ends of the laminated body A for performing temporary fixing in a pinpoint manner.

That is, when boiling water is poured into the thin-walled container 30 including only the fixing portion 80 at one point in the laminated body A, or, in addition, including portions also near both ends of the laminated body A for performing temporary fixing in a pinpoint manner, heat is conducted to the outer wall surface 3 of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 30 through the inner wall of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 30. The heat, however, is not conducted throughout the outer wall surface 3 all at once, but is conducted sequentially from the lower portion (bottom) to the upper portion (opening) of the container in accordance with the water level of the hot water poured into the container. Thus, the heat conducted to the laminated body A also undergoes a similar process in accordance with the amount of hot water. Consequently, the heat-shrinkable film 4 placed on the inner side of the laminated body starts to heat-shrink sequentially from the lower portion to the upper portion in each spaced bonded portion, in accordance with the conduction of the heat. There is, however, a time difference in the heat conduction between the upper portion and the lower portion of the heat-shrinkable film 4 of the laminated body A, and therefore, time lags occur in the timing of the shrinkage of the heat-shrinkable film 4 between the upper portion and the lower portion of the laminated body A. Thus, momentarily there are both a portion of the film that has heat-shrunk by receiving heat earlier and a portion of the film that has not yet heat-shrunk. This causes the heat-shrinkable film 4 to partially shrink first, and therefore, only the lower portion of the piece of mounting paper of the laminated body A connected thereto is formed into tunnel shapes, and the upper portion of the laminated body A connected to the portion of the heat-shrinkable film 4 that has not yet shrunk is lifted up from the outer wall surface.

A series of these movements form a part of the laminated body A into a cave-like portion partially separated from the outer wall of the container. That is, with only the structure where temporary fixing is performed by a heat-softenable adhesive near both ends of the laminated body A in a pinpoint manner, when the pinpoint temporary fixing is released by receiving heat, the laminated body A becomes squeezed upward from the lower portion thereof. Consequently, the portion of the laminated body A that is separated from the wall surface is isolated from the heat conducted from the outer wall surface, and the shrinkage of the separated portion of the heat-shrinkable film 4 does not progress. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2( a), a disadvantage occurs where the piece of mounting paper 6 of the laminated body A is not formed into normal tunnel-like structures, and therefore, the intrinsic heat-insulating function cannot be served. In addition, the outward appearance is unattractive.

A trial-and-error test was performed where the temperature conditions of hot water to be poured and the speed of pouring hot water were changed. As a result of the test, even with the features disclosed in Japanese patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-40961 A, if hot water of a temperature of near 75° C. was slowly poured, the relatively low temperature of the hot water prevented the heat-shrinkable film 4 from rapidly shrinking. Thus, there was a case where the laminated body A was not substantially separated from the outer wall surface, although a part of the laminated body A nearly became somewhat cave-like. Accordingly, the supply of heat was prevented from being completely isolated, and tunnel-like structures were almost formed in a normal manner.

However, when relatively high-temperature hot water of 90° C. or hot water immediately after boiling was quickly poured, the hot water moved intensely in the container, and as shown in FIG. 2( a), the piece of mounting paper of the laminated body A distorted in a noticeable manner. It was found from this that the manner of heat being conducted to the heat-shrinkable film 4 of the laminated body A deviated and became ununiform, depending on the difference in the temperature of hot water, the speed of pouring hot water, the amount of the contents of the container, the specific heat of the contents of the container, or the like. Thus, a large cave-like portion was formed, the supply of heat was isolated, and the heat-shrinkable film 4 did not uniformly shrink.

In social life, hot food that requires heat insulation varies and is used in various manners. There are also differences in, for example, the temperature of hot water poured into the container, the speed of pouring hot water, the amount of the contents of the container, and the specific heat of the contents based on whether they are powdered or retorted food. The preferences and the applications of users are thus complex and diverse. This indicates that as described above, with a conventional technique, when heat reaches, through the wall surface of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container, the heat-shrinkable film 4 placed on the inner side of the laminated body, ununiformity and inconstancy occur in the temperature level of the heat, the manner of the heat being conducted, and the time of the conduction of the heat, and such ununiformity and inconstancy can occur routinely and randomly. Thus, it must be taken into account that such ununiformity and inconstancy cannot avoid forming tunnel-like structures in an abnormal manner.

To avoid such a disadvantageous phenomenon, the ununiform shrinkage, caused by the time difference in heat conduction, of the base material placed on the inner side of the laminated body may be suppressed, and after the heat has spread as far as possible throughout the laminated body, the base material placed on the inner side of the laminated body may be caused to uniformly shrink under such control that the entire laminated body is uniformly drawn in the circumferential direction of the container. If this process is successfully performed, the base material placed on the outer side of the laminated body should be formed into normal tunnel-like structures.

In contrast, a heat-insulation-exhibiting container disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-240152 A includes a laminated body fixed to the outer wall surface of the trunk portion of a thin-walled container. The laminated body, however, includes base materials, differing from each other in heat shrinkage ratio and adhered together at a plurality of bonded portions spaced from one another, and also includes substantially I-shaped cut lines in at least one of the plurality of bonded portions. The laminated body is fixed to the outer wall surface such that the base material having a higher heat shrinkage ratio is placed on the inner side of the laminated body, so that the base material placed on the inner side heat-shrinks.

In the heat-insulated container according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-240152 A, when heat has been conducted to the laminated body through the outer surface of the thin-walled container due to, for example, high-temperature hot water poured into the container, tunnel-like structures are provided in a similar manner to the heat-insulation-exhibiting container disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-40961 A. In this container, however, the tunnel-like structures are provided while the portions of the laminated body defined by the substantially I-shaped cut lines provided in the bonded portion of the laminated body are being opened in a double-doored manner, and the outer surface of the thin-walled container appears in the outward appearance through the window open in a double-doored manner. Thus, the heat-insulated container is a highly appealing heat-insulating container which is highly aesthetically pleasing and whose transformation can be enjoyed to a high degree.

In the case of this container, the rectangular laminated body having the substantially I-shaped cut lines in the center portion thereof is fixed to the outer wall surface of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container by a heat-resistant adhesive in a strip manner almost across the full width of the laminated body in the up-down direction: at fixing portions provided at two points transversely across the center portion of the substantially I-shaped cut lines; and along the generatrix of the thin-walled container. Consequently, the laminated body is fixed at the two points transversely spaced from the center portion, and therefore, the area of the portion where the laminated body maintains close contact with the outer wall surface is large, and a plurality of fixing portions are provided at appropriate points with respect to the dimensions of the plane of the laminated body to shrink. Thus, the laminated body can stably receive the supply of heat from the wall surface of the container, and unlike the container disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-40961 A, does not provide extremely abnormal tunnel-like structures even if boiling water is poured into the container.

This structure, however, is formed in a complex manner due to its “window” open in a double-doored manner and the like. Further, the tunnel-like structures are formed not uniformly throughout the laminated body. Thus, in view of the design, the structure may be biased toward some preference, or may have a tendency to alternate. Furthermore, due to its structure, the high-temperature outer wall portion appearing in the “window” is relatively likely to come into contact with the fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide at low cost a heat-insulation-exhibiting container that, when hot food in a thin-walled container, such as hot regular coffee, instant coffee, tea, tea-bag black tea, amazake, zenzai, sake, retorted miso soup, clam chowder, and powdered soup or the like, is eaten in the state where a laminated body is fixed to the outer wall surface of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container at a fixing portion provided at one point, and even when there is a difference in the temperature of hot water poured into the container, the speed of pouring hot water, the amount of the contents of the container, the specific heat of the contents, or the like: suppresses abnormal transformations partially occurring in the laminated body; and maintains and adds required conditions for transforming the laminated body into normal tunnel-like structures, to thereby stably and securely provide normal and simple tunnel-like structures in accordance with a wide range of usages when a heat-insulating function is required.

Means for Solving the Problems

The present invention is designed to effectively solve the above problems, and provides a heat-insulation-exhibiting container having the following features. The heat-insulation-exhibiting container according to the present invention is a heat-insulation-exhibiting container including: a laminated body including base materials, differing from each other in heat shrinkage ratio and bonded together at a plurality of elongated bonded portions spaced from one another in a striped manner; and a thin-walled container, the laminated body fixed to an outer wall surface of a trunk portion thereof at a fixing portion provided at one point such that the base material having a larger heat shrinkage ratio is placed on an inner side of the laminated body, and a plurality of temporary adhesion portions are arranged between the fixing portion and end portions of the laminated body, and the outer wall surface is temporarily adhered to the laminated body at the temporary adhesion portions through a heat-softenable adhesive that is in a softening state at a temperature where the inner base material shrinks, so that the inner base material heat-shrinks when the outer wall surface increases in temperature.

Further, in the heat-insulation-exhibiting container, one or more temporary adhesion portions are arranged continuously or intermittently along the bonded portions in longitudinal directions thereof.

Further, in the heat-insulation-exhibiting container, an area of adhesion per temporary adhesion portion decreases from a lower portion to an upper portion of the container. That is, the heat-insulation-exhibiting container includes the plurality of temporary adhesion portions arranged along the laminated body in the up-down direction thereof, or one or more temporary adhesion portions arranged continuously or intermittently along the bonded portions in the longitudinal directions thereof, and the area of adhesion per temporary adhesion portion is adjusted such that the adhesive force per temporary adhesion portion gradually decreases from the lower portion (bottom) to the upper portion (opening) of the container.

Further, in the heat-insulation-exhibiting container, the longitudinal directions of the bonded portions are diagonal to an up-down direction of the container.

Advantages of the Invention

In the heat-insulation-exhibiting container according to the present invention having the above structure, when high-temperature heat has been conducted to the outer wall surface of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container included in the heat-insulation-exhibiting container due to, for example, high-temperature hot water poured into the container, the entire inner base material uniformly shrinks between the bonded portions, and the outer base material is formed into tunnel-like structures in an orderly manner.

The structure where the temporary adhesion portions are appropriately arranged has an effect of providing or forming normal tunnel-like structures. This is because at the portions where the temporary adhesion portions are appropriately arranged, the base material placed on the inner side of the laminated body is in close contact with the outer wall surface of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container. As well as this, the time required for the heat-softenable adhesive to soften absorbs the time difference in the heat conduction to the laminated body and also absorbs the ununiformity in heat conduction, and suppresses, for a given period of time, the force of only a part of the inner base material shrinking first and the force of the laminated body deforming so as to be separated from the wall surface. Subsequently, after the heat has spread throughout the laminated body, the inner base material shrinks under such control that the entire laminated body is uniformly drawn in the circumferential direction of the container.

Further, the heat-insulation-exhibiting container is advantageous, in which adhesion is performed at the temporary adhesion portions appropriately arranged along the bonded portions spaced from one another in a striped manner, the base materials bonded together at the bonded portions. This is because when the base material placed on the outer side of the laminated body is formed into tunnel-like structures having mountain-fold portions and valley-fold portions, the positions of the lines of the stripes correspond to the valley-fold portions, and therefore are mechanically optimal positions for the force of the outer base material rising so as to form tunnel-like structures. This forms the tunnel-like structures beautifully and naturally.

Further, when the heat-insulation-exhibiting container has the structure where adhesion is performed with the application pattern of the adhesive of the temporary adhesion portions arranged in a gradational manner such that the strength of the adhesive force gradually decreases from the lower portion to the upper portion of the laminated body, the container makes use of physical phenomena where: in the portion that has received heat earlier, it takes the adhesive a long time to soften since the portion has a large area of adhesion; and in the portion that has received heat later, it takes the adhesive only a short time to soften since the portion has a small area of adhesion. This prevents time lags in the release of temporary adhesion, and therefore results in an effect of providing or forming normal tunnel-like structures.

Thus, the heat-insulation-exhibiting container having this structure provides the following advantage. The shrinkage of the base material placed on the inner side of the laminated body is adjusted by the gradation of the adhesive forces of the temporary adhesion portions, in accordance with the time lags in the manner of the inside of the container being heated in the up-down direction. Further, close contact is also maintained between the base material placed on the inner side of the laminated body and the outer wall surface of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container. This absorbs, in accordance with the water level of the hot water poured into the container, subtle transformations caused in the laminated body by the time difference and the ununiformity in the manner of the inside of the container being heated, and also controls the shrinkage of the base material placed on the inner side of the laminated body at optimal timing, in accordance with a wide temperature range from relatively low-temperature hot water to boiling water.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings, descriptions are given below of embodiments of the invention. In a first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1( a) and 1(b), a heat-insulation-exhibiting container 101 includes a laminated body D fixed to an outer wall surface 3 of the trunk portion of a cup-shaped thin-walled container 30, at a fixing portion 80 provided at one location in a center portion and on the inner side of the laminated body, and the laminated body D is also adhered to the outer wall surface 3 through a heat-softenable adhesive at temporary adhesion portions 1 appropriately arranged in a spotted manner between the fixing portion 80 and end portions 32 with respect to the trunk portion-circumferential direction of the thin-walled container 30. It is noted that the shape of the thin-walled container 30 is not limited to cup-shaped, and may be, for example, truncated pyramid-shaped or box-shaped.

As shown in FIGS. 1( b) and 1(c), the laminated body D includes two layers of substantially rectangular base materials. One of the base materials is a heat-shrinkable film 4 formed of, for example, a transversely-uniaxially-oriented polyester film having a thickness of, for example, 35 μm. The other base material is a piece of mounting paper 6 formed of, for example, high-quality paper (weight per unit area of 50 g/m²). The two base materials are bonded together in an integrated manner, by a heat-resistant adhesive applied continuously or intermittently in an elongated manner in the longitudinal direction, at end bonded portions 7, a center bonded portion 8, and intermediate bonded portions 9 that are spaced from one another. That is, the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 together form stripes.

Examples of the heat-shrinkable film 4 include, as well as this, a cross-linked polyethylene shrink film, a polystyrene shrink film, a vinyl chloride shrink film, a polypropylene shrink film, an olefin multilayer shrink film, and the like. The heat-shrinkable film 4, however, is not limited to these examples so long as the film heat-shrinks at 45° C. or higher, and preferably at from 50 to 80° C. Further, as the heat-shrinkable film 4, a uniaxially-oriented film is preferably used.

The laminated body D is attached to the thin-walled container 30 such that: the base material having a higher heat shrinkage ratio, i.e., the heat-shrinkable film 4, is placed on the inner side of the laminated body D; and the base material having a lower heat shrinkage ratio, i.e., the piece of mounting paper 6, is placed on the outer side of the laminated body D. The laminated body D is fixed by a heat-resistant adhesive, at the strip-shaped fixing portion 80 provided at one location longitudinally across the laminated body D, and along the generatrix direction of the thin-walled container 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the longitudinal directions of the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 are set as the generatrix direction of the thin-walled container 30. It is noted that the laminated body D can also be fixed diagonally to the generatrix direction of the thin-walled container 30, and is not limited as shown in the figures.

The laminated body D is in close contact along the outer wall surface 3, while temporarily adhered to the outer wall surface 3 in the trunk portion-circumferential direction and the up-down direction of the thin-walled container 30, at the temporary adhesion portions 1 arranged between the fixing portion 80 and the end portions 32 with respect to the trunk portion-circumferential direction. The temporary adhesion portions 1 are arranged in a dotted manner between the fixing portion 80 and the end portions 32 with respect to the trunk portion-circumferential direction of the thin-walled container 30. The temporary adhesion portions 1 may not only be arranged in a staggered manner as shown in the figures, but may also be arranged in a grid manner, or in a random manner. The heat-softenable adhesive (hereinafter also referred to simply as an “adhesive”) to be used for the temporary adhesion portions 1 is an adhesive that is in a softening state at a temperature where the heat-shrinkable film 4 shrinks. The temperature where the heat-shrinkable film 4 shrinks is a temperature at which the heat-shrinkable film 4 shrinks and which is the lowest shrinkage temperature of the heat-shrinkable film 4 or higher.

Examples of the heat-softenable adhesive to be used for the temporary adhesion portions 1 include a vinyl acetate-based copolymer, a polystyrene, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, an ethylene-acrylic acid ester copolymer, an ionomer, an acrylic resin, such as a polymethacrylic acid ester, and a urethane resin.

When boiling water is poured into the heat-insulation-exhibiting container 101 having the above structure according to the present invention, the amount of hot water increases from the lower portion of the container. With this, the heat of the hot water is conducted through the outer wall surface 3 to the base material (the heat-shrinkable film 4) placed on the inner side of the laminated body D, and the heat-shrinkable film 4 starts to rapidly shrink sequentially from the lower portion thereof. This shrinkage, however, is prevented by the temporary adhesion portions 1 appropriately arranged in a spotted manner in the laminated body D. In due course, in accordance with the increase of the amount of hot water and the spread of high-temperature heat throughout the laminated body, the softening of the heat-softenable adhesive of the temporary adhesion portions 1 progresses. Having stored a sufficient shrinkage force until then by receiving the supply of heat in close contact with the outer wall surface 3, the heat-shrinkable film 4 forms, as the entire laminated body, orderly tunnel-like structures 82 as shown in FIG. 2( b) by: gradually shrinking uniformly in directions F while peeling off the heat-softenable adhesive from the outer wall surface 3; and gently raising the piece of mounting paper 6, which is the base material placed on the outer side of the laminated body D and connected to the heat-shrinkable film 4, from the lower portion to the upper portion thereof.

In contrast, in the case where the temporary adhesion portions 1 are not provided, as shown in FIG. 2( a), for example, when boiling water is poured into a container 101′, the heat-shrinkable film 4 starts to rapidly shrink in the lower portion thereof in accordance with the increase of the amount of hot water from the lower portion of the container, and forms tunnel-like structures 82′ only in the lower portion of the laminated body D. With this, the upper portion of the laminated body D is lifted up from the outer wall surface 3, and the heat of the outer wall surface 3 is not conducted to the lifted-up part W of the laminated body D. Consequently, even when hot water reaches the upper portion of the container and the outer wall surface 3 increases in temperature, the lifted-up part W, for example, irregularly shrinks without forming tunnel-like structures. Thus, the entire laminated body D is formed into a disorderly shape.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the areas of application of the adhesive spots at all the temporary adhesion portions 1 are the same throughout the laminated body D. This results in an effect of suppressing rapid transformations in the heat-shrinkable film 4 and preventing the laminated body D from ununiformly shrinking in a cave-like manner. This causes no problems at all in view of both the appearance and the function. Further, the intervals of application of the adhesive spots, and the shapes of the adhesive spots at the temporary adhesion portions 1 may be appropriately changed and adjusted in accordance with the heat shrinkage properties of the heat-shrinkable film 4 to be used, or with the physical properties, such as the rigidity, of the piece of mounting paper 6 to be used.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3( a) through (c), a heat-insulation-exhibiting container 102 includes the temporary adhesion portions 1 appropriately arranged along the corresponding bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 in the longitudinal directions thereof, the base materials of a laminated body D′ bonded together at the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 such that the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 are spaced from one another in the direction of 1. The advantage of such an arrangement of the temporary adhesion portions 1 in accordance with the corresponding bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 is as follows. When the heat-shrinkable film 4 of the laminated body D′ shrinks, the piece of mounting paper 6 rises so as to transform into tunnel-like structures having mountain-fold portions and valley-fold portions, and the temporary adhesion portions 1 correspond to the valley-fold portions. In this case, the valley-fold portions slide as if holding the outer wall surface 3, and therefore cause the mountain-fold portions to easily bulge.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4( a), the application pattern of temporary adhesion portions 1 a is appropriately arranged by gradating the areas of application of the adhesive such that the strength of the adhesive force gradually decreases from the lower portion to the upper portion of the laminated body. That is, the area of adhesion per temporary adhesion portion 1 a decreases from the lower portion (the bottom of the container) to the upper portion (the opening of the container). If the application of the temporary adhesion portions 1 a is appropriately arranged in such a gradational manner, the adhesive force changes in a direction where it decreases due to the time difference based on the amount of hot water poured into the container. This results in an effect of causing the entire laminated body to uniformly shrink by striking a balance such that: in the portion of the laminated body D that has received heat earlier, the shrinkage of the heat-shrinkable film 4 is delayed by the adhesive force of the adhesive having a larger area of adhesion; and in the portion that has received heat later, the heat-shrinkable film 4 quickly shrinks by the adhesive force of the adhesive having a smaller area of adhesion. This forms tunnel-like structures more accurately as compared to the structures of the above two embodiments. Further, as shown in FIG. 4( b), temporary fixing portions 2 may also be arranged near both ends, together with the temporary adhesion portions 1 a. Also in this case, a similar effect is obtained. The temporary fixing portions 2 fix in advance the laminated body D to the outer wall surface 3 near both ends before the container is heated, and are provided in order to obtain stable and close contact between the laminated body D and the outer wall surface 3 before the container is heated. The temporary fixing portions 2 have such small fixing forces as not to keep the laminated body D fixed to the outer wall surface 3 against the shrinkage of the heat-shrinkable film 4.

FIGS. 5( a) and 5(b) show embodiments of the other application patterns of the adhesive of temporary adhesion portions. FIG. 5( a) shows an embodiment of temporary adhesion portions 1 b, to which the adhesive is applied in a striped manner in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 5( b) shows an embodiment of temporary adhesion portions 1 c, to which the adhesive is applied in an intermittent-strip striped manner in the longitudinal direction. In either embodiment, the widths of the temporary adhesion portions 1 b and 1 c may be constant, or may be gradually reduced such that the area of adhesion per temporary adhesion portion decreases from the lower portion to the upper portion.

In the present invention, the application of the corresponding adhesive in order to form the fixing portion 80, and the prior application of the corresponding adhesives to the temporary adhesion portions 1 (the temporary adhesion portions 1 b, the temporary adhesion portions 1 c) and the temporary fixing portions 2 may be performed on the laminated body side or on the thin-walled container side. Further, the heat-shrinkable polyester film and the high-quality paper that are used in the present embodiments are merely illustrative, and may be of a different type, may have a different thickness, or may have a different weight per unit area, so long as the laminated body curves moderately and provides tunnel-like structures. Furthermore, the shape of the laminated body is not limited to those shown in the figures, and may be, for example, circular, triangular, or rhomboid. Alternatively, the shape of the laminated body may be the outline of a particular mark or a projected image. Although not described in detail, it is also possible to carry out the above embodiments in combination as appropriate.

Additionally, in the present invention, a laminated body (not shown) similar in structure to that of the laminated body D (or D′) is preferably provided on the outer wall surface 3 of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 30 such that the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 30 is interposed between the laminated body D (or D′) and the not-shown laminated body. This provides tunnel-like structures in two portions facing each other. Thus, if the mountain-fold portions of the tunnel-like structures provided in the two facing portions are held such that the trunk portion is interposed in the hand, it is possible to easily, securely, and stably hold even a boiling beverage without feeling the heat on the hand, and possible to savor the contained beverage at ease. Further, the number of the laminated bodies may be increased to more than two where necessary, depending on the application and the purpose. Furthermore, the shape of the laminated body viewed from above, and the lengths of the laminated body in the generatrix direction and the circumferential direction of the trunk portion may be arbitrarily set where necessary. Normally, the length of the laminated body in the generatrix direction of the trunk portion is preferably about from 2 to 2.5 times as long as the width of a finger. The length of the laminated body in the circumferential direction of the trunk portion is preferably about from 3 to 5 cm.

In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the longitudinal directions of the fixing portion 80 and the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 may be diagonal to an up-down direction (the generatrix direction, when the thin-walled container 30 is cup-shaped) R of the thin-walled container 30. In this case, longitudinal directions P of the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 are parallel to the longitudinal direction of the fixing portion 80, and are also diagonal to a longitudinal direction G of a top side 112 of a laminated body DD. The laminated body DD is adhered to the thin-walled container at, for example, the fixing portion 80 and the temporary adhesion portions 1 as shown in FIG. 1 appropriately arranged along the bonded portions in the longitudinal directions thereof.

As shown in FIG. 7, the structure of the laminated body DD is such that a heat-shrinkable film and a piece of mounting paper that are similar to the heat-shrinkable film 4 and the piece of mounting paper 6, respectively, shown in FIG. 1 are bonded together in an integrated manner through a heat-resistant adhesive. However, the longitudinal directions of the fixing portion 80 and the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 are diagonal to the generatrix direction of the trunk portion, in the laminated body DD. With this structure, to fix the laminated body, it is not necessary to rotate the laminated body itself diagonally to the up-down direction of the thin-walled container 30. This makes the appearance of the completed formation of the tunnel structures natural and desirable. It is noted that in FIG. 7, the fixing portion 80 and the temporary adhesion portions 1 show the respective positions thereof when the laminated body DD is attached to the thin-walled container (FIG. 6).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the state of the container exhibiting heat insulation properties, in which the laminated body DD is adhered to the container. In this embodiment, a sense of stability and a sense of ease in holding the thin-walled container 30 are added, which is desirable. The angle of diagonal a of each of the longitudinal directions P of the bonded portions 7, 8, and 9 to the up-down direction R is preferably from 3 to 45 degrees, and more preferably from 6 to 10 degrees in order to add a sense of stability and a sense of ease in holding the thin-walled container 30.

The angle of diagonal α may be from −3 to −45 degrees. That is, the longitudinal directions P may be diagonal to the right, or the left, of the up-down direction R. Further, when the two laminated bodies are provided such that the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 30 is interposed therebetween, the longitudinal directions of the bonded portions of each laminated body may be diagonal to the left, or the right, of the up-down direction R. Alternatively, the longitudinal directions of the bonded portions of one of the laminated bodies may be diagonal to the left, and those of the other laminated body may be diagonal to the right.

FIG. 9 is a pictorial diagram (photograph) showing the state of the container exhibiting heat insulation properties, in which the laminated body DD is adhered to the container.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The heat-insulation-exhibiting container according to the present invention is used in various environments and under various use conditions in actual social life. For example, the container may be used in a vending machine. Further, for household use, the container is suitable for use by either a person who quickly pours hot water or a person who slowly pours hot water, either by boiling water with an electric pot or an instantaneous water heater, or by boiling water with a gas range or an electric heater, using a kettle. Still further, the container is also suitable for use by a person who keeps boiled water hot in a pot and uses the water in a remote location after some time has passed. Furthermore, the container is also suitable for use by any of people having various preferences for the temperatures of hot water, such as a person who boils water at 100° C. and immediately pours the boiling water, or a person who likes hot water of 80° C. or 90° C. Additionally, the heat-insulation-exhibiting container is also suitable for having various contents to be put into the container, such as instant coffee or soup that is powdered or paste-based, and soup using ingredients subjected to retort treatment. Moreover, the container is also suitable for use regardless of the amount of the contents, from a relatively large amount to a relatively small amount. Thus, a wide range of use conditions are conceivable for a thin-walled food container, since the temperatures of hot water to be poured into the container are not constant, and various contents are also to be put into the container. The heat-insulation-exhibiting container according to the present invention, however, is a container that is widely used and highly useful in social life, even in such complex and diverse use conditions and situations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1( a) is an overall perspective view of an example of an embodiment of a container according to the present invention; FIG. 1( b) is a plan view from the inner side of a base material of a laminated body; and FIG. 1( c) is a cross-sectional view of the laminated body as viewed along an arrow N-N.

FIG. 2( a) is an overall perspective view of the laminated body exhibiting heat insulation properties in an abnormal manner; and FIG. 2( b) is an overall perspective view of the laminated body exhibiting heat insulation properties in a normal manner.

FIG. 3( a) is an overall plan view of an example of another embodiment of the container according to the present invention; FIG. 3( b) is a plan view from the inner side of a base material of a laminated body; and FIG. 3( c) is a cross-sectional view of the laminated body as viewed along an arrow L-L.

FIG. 4( a) is a plan view from the inner side of a base material of a laminated body, showing an example of yet another embodiment of the container according to the present invention; and FIG. 4( b) is a plan view of temporary adhesion portions arranged together with temporary fixing portions arranged near ends.

FIGS. 5( a) and 5(b) are respectively a plan view from the inner side of a base material of a laminated body, showing other embodiments of application patterns of temporary adhesion portions.

FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view of an example of another embodiment of the container according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the structure of the laminated body.

FIG. 8 is an overall perspective view of the container of FIG. 6 exhibiting heat insulation properties.

FIG. 9 is a pictorial diagram showing the container of FIG. 6 exhibiting heat insulation properties.

FIG. 10( a) is an overall perspective view of an embodiment of a conventional container; FIG. 10( b) is a plan view from the inner side of a base material of a laminated body; and FIG. 10( c) is a cross-sectional view of the laminated body as viewed along an arrow M-M.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS

-   -   1, 1 a, 1 b, 1 c: temporary adhesion portion, 2: temporary         fixing portion, 3: outer wall surface, 4: heat-shrinkable film,         7, 8, 9: bonded portion, 6: piece of mounting paper, W:         lifted-up part, 30: thin-walled container, 32: end portion, 80:         fixing portion, A, D, D′, DD: laminated body, 82, 82′:         tunnel-like structure, 100, 101, 101′, 102:         heat-insulation-exhibiting container 

1. A heat-insulation-exhibiting container comprising: a laminated body including base materials, differing from each other in heat shrinkage ratio and bonded together at a plurality of elongated bonded portions spaced from one another in a striped manner; and a thin-walled container, the laminated body fixed to an outer wall surface of a trunk portion thereof at a fixing portion provided at one location such that the base material having a larger heat shrinkage ratio is placed on an inner side of the laminated body, wherein a plurality of temporary adhesion portions are arranged between the fixing portion and end portions of the laminated body, and the outer wall surface is temporarily adhered to the laminated body at the temporary adhesion portions through a heat-softenable adhesive that is in a softening state at a temperature where the inner base material shrinks, so that the inner base material heat-shrinks when the outer wall surface increases in temperature.
 2. The heat-insulation-exhibiting container according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of temporary adhesion portions are arranged along the bonded portions in longitudinal directions thereof.
 3. The heat-insulation-exhibiting container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an area of adhesion per temporary adhesion portion decreases from a lower portion to an upper portion of the container.
 4. The heat-insulation-exhibiting container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the longitudinal directions of the bonded portions are diagonal to an up-down direction of the container. 